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Re: Astronomy - History



Ptolemy's original work, as well as Kepler's (in English translation) are
published by Encyclopedia Britannica in their Great Books of the Western
World collection, which should be available in any library. Ptoemy's work
is reasonably readable, and his arguments for a spherical earth are particularly
interesting for students who think that Columbus was the first to believe that
the earth was round.

Kepler is much more opaque, and I have pretty much given up assigning it as
student reading.

At 11:11 AM 9/26/96 EDT, you wrote:
Two questions and a comment re: Planetary orbits
1) How does one determine the orbit of a superior planet, eg Mars, from
visual observations? A reference will do.
2) Any references for a technical description of the Ptolemaic Model, with
numerical values?
Stanley J. McCaslin Inet: mccaslin@pscosf.peru.edu
Assistant Professor, Computer Science Phone:402/872-2208
Peru State College, Peru, NE 68421 Home: 402/872-7595